[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 178 (Friday, November 10, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2163]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON H.R. 2099, DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
      AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1996

                                 ______


                               speech of

                             HON. TOM DeLAY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 2, 1995

  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in very strong opposition to this 
motion to instruct. Don't be fooled--the authors of this motion aren't 
interested in good environmental policy or public health--they're 
interested in status quo, in regulatory excess and in spreading false, 
misleading, and distorted information on what these environmental 
riders do. And what do they do?
  They prevent the EPA from going beyond its statutory authority so we 
don't have unelected, overzealous bureaucrats implementing their own 
agendas at the expense of our environment and the American public.
  They require EPA to use the most up-to-date data when making 
regulatory decisions. Do the opponents of the riders believe EPA should 
be allowed to develop a refinery MACT rule using data that is 15 years 
old when data exist from 1993? Is that protecting the public health?
  They direct EPA to use real world data instead of bureaucratic 
computer models based on faulty assumptions. EPA is trying to force our 
constituents into centralized emissions testing claiming this system 
works the best--but just a few weeks ago 12 cars rigged to fail were 
passed by a Colorado centralized testing facility--is that effective 
environmental policy?
  Chanting right along with the effort to scare and mislead the public 
on what this Congress is doing, our Vice President accused this 
Congress of prohibiting the EPA from taking arsenic out of drinking 
water.
  But who's asking for a delay in the rulemaking? In a letter dated 
this February, the EPA stated it has ``decided to seek to delay 
rulemaking on the arsenic regulation in order to conduct further 
research.'' Needless to say, the Vice President's office later said he 
misspoke.
  Mr. Speaker, these riders are about common sense, sound science, and 
flexibility; they're about making sure that we get real benefits out of 
our regulatory requirements so that the burden we place on Americans 
and on our businesses make sense.
  And for those who claim that this appropriations bill is no place for 
these legislative riders--get real--every bill is the right place to 
deal with government fraud, abuse of process, and misspent resources--
not to mention that the former Democrat-controlled Congress used this 
process for years.
  In fact, the radon rider in this bill is the same legislative rider 
that has been included in this bill for 3 years when the author of this 
motion served his tenure as chairman. Make no mistake, my colleagues, a 
vote for the Stokes motion is a vote to force your communities to 
implement a very costly, ineffective rule on regulating radon in 
drinking water.
  Now, some of my colleagues may have concerns with some of the riders 
and that's legitimate. But those concerns ought to be considered in the 
context of the conference. The conference must be given the ability to 
evaluate each provision on its merits.
  Mr. Speaker, at the end of debate on this motion, Members will be 
asked to defeat the previous question so that the motion to instruct 
can be amended. The amendment to the motion is a real vote on 
protecting the environment and it provides the House conferees the 
negotiating flexibility necessary to conduct an effective conference.
  I urge my colleagues to be responsible and use common sense--don't 
buy into the fear-mongering of those who refuse to acknowledge the 
facts.
  Vote ``no'' on the previous question.

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